Suicide bomb attack outside EC office kills two in Afghanistan
What's the story
A suicide bomb blast killed at least two people today outside an election commission office in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad. The latest attack in the war-torn country targeted a protest camp outside the building in Nangarhar province, where a group of people was rallying in support of a candidate disqualified from parliamentary elections due in October. Here's more.
Details
Suicide bomber detonated explosives near a tent full of protesters
An eyewitness said the blast was caused by a suicide bomber who detonated explosives near a tent full of protesters outside the election commission's office in Jalalabad, sending people fleeing as security forces cordoned off the area. "It was a very big blast and it shook our home," said witness Mirza Amin, who lives 50 meters (160 feet) from the site of the explosion.
Ceasefire
Afghanistan President offered a conditional three-month ceasefire to the Taliban
"It (the blast) killed two people, and four others were wounded," Provincial Governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani has confirmed. The blast comes nearly a week after President Ashraf Ghani offered a conditional three-month ceasefire to the Taliban, a move welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war. The Taliban have yet to provide an official response to the offer.